Interstage coupling circuit for wide band amplifiers



Aug. 18, 1953 c. w. HARRISON 2,649,508

INTER-STAGE COUPLING CIRCUIT FOR WIDE BAND AMPLIFIERS Filed Nov. 12. 1948 FIG.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //v vt/v TOR By C. W HARRISON C. W. H ARRISON' CIRCUIT FOR WIDE BAND AMPLIFIERS 2 Shee'ts-Shee t 2 haw ATTORNEY eve 12. ad

Patented Aug. 18, 1953 24 5 5 8. IlNTEgS'I-AGE GOUPLING CIRCUIT FOR Charl es flargison, Chathan N. J., assignor h ire smh he ab rat ie 1 wowed. N w Yeah, .N- a eiiitieh 921i??? Fl ris? Application November 12,

19.118, Serial No. 5.8.70.1

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present invention, n the other hand, permits ae ahiza es Qi haih di l ilej pieia hh t he .r a zee'ih l even it seei g? i iei esie the tubes are iesi 1 h ah emhhsl mem hi the B19?1P ih hiiea an alte natin m it e alwme i 9 ll9lfi between 91. ii th ehhtml el t p lee ah ihe @aihqsle cir-euith a m-iihi-e e cee eaihe l 91.- hwer, the? phen l a ed? heme hiih hhhhl hr heh a hwhem ahw hhi: we k t the other we hh eleqirodee H.I. hle me? cheatin vhlia e i .SHRRHQQ i9 cleava e from h a n al-e sl i Peat we e? we M a rhih h hi the wh el 91W. .1 hell is ah e i he ncrementin re hiah e: hammme h hvork and an asihch ha 1995?? b hfi a, e raetiha will he amet -es; lat r th in We hea hen EQHP EQ! leeirh le wi l u u l y be the so e n d t ,sp ctiijely'f'of a pentooe tub and Pliilif l q vo a w he fu nish l by th hieet lehem peh hq' f i l e Pl te .Q he 1 mm a pfecefling vefiilhm A ma e l mueh lll le slhllill l 9? the h p e Fl 4 a? shit we iefi llu trates a ih eer a e eeilhack a lifier utilizing ere. iniesae'i ah' "n iw rls 1h c hheei sia i it 91 2.ne stage In @91 9 achieve a reeder bickerhuhd f r a ehihleia iihq eieh hi oi 'il e"h e ftign, a comparison Withkno'wn 'prio'i a'rfiis" help} fill. 'Ffihsjtahfit'is often "aclvantageoiis'to efiiploy'a c athodetolloweias the finalstage of multi tage ac m tube amplifier. ime cat izic 'rbiiower isgefiemiiy' used to obtain a. low Qiitbiit impedance with little loading on the preceding stage. Since parasitic capacitance is iiii iiy the-limiting parameter for the gain-bandwidth product in 'wide band amplifiers, the cathogie follower also is desirable since it tends to reelistribute such parasitic'capaci'tances' toadv antage. Since the control gridbf a cathode follower is at'substantiallir thesa'me alternatingcurrent potential as the "cathode, the stiay capacitance appearing between the control gritl and the cathode is eliminated. There are, however, certaindifficulti'es which are encountered in broadband usage ofthe more conventional types of cathode followers.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a typical triode cathode follower such as is common in the prior art. In Fig. 1, one of the input terminals I is connected to the cont ol id of the tri tube '2. who other input terminal 1 is conn t d to the negative sicle of a biasing battery 3, the positive side .of which is grounded. A resistanc .4 is connected betwe n t athh e of time and the ne at ve side o a power suppl .5. and the positive s e f a pow r sim l .6 is chhehied l the plat .o tub 2' e hcsi iye side of ower sup y 5 and t e n at v s 9f hpz r e hhly ii a e fil -91m. h ersii ph' i wil h holes? may h mi. eh ac ahlie thhsh advantage of permitting an increase in the direct-current resistance of cathode resistor 4. Output terminals I are connected between the cathode of tube 2 and ground.

The voltage appearing across output terminals 1 will, when the product of the transconductance of tube 2 and the impedance of cathode resistor 4 is appreciably greater than unity, approach the input signal in magnitude and be of the same phase. Since the output impedance of the oathode follower is considerably lower than the input impedance, there is a corresponding amplification in power. However, the triode cathode follower is at a disadvantage as a power output circuit since the plate current is limited by the plate to cathode potential for any given supply voltage. It is desirable to prevent the plate current of tube 2 from ever becoming zero, since the desirable properties of the cathode follower would disappear during any such interval.

Fig. 2 shows an example from the prior art of a tube having pentode characteristics used as a cathode follower. In Fig. 2, one of the input terminals 8 is connected to the control grid of pentode tube 9. A grid biasing battery I is located between the other input terminal 8 and ground. The cathode of tube 9 is connected to one side of a resistance II, the other side of which is connected through a negative direct-current power supply l2 to ground. The suppressor grid of tube 9 is coupled directly to the cathode of the same tube and a positive direct-current plate power supply I3 is connected between the plate of tube 9 and ground. The screen grid and the plate of tube 9 are connected through a dropping resistor I4 and the screen grid is bypassed to ground through a capacitance I5. The output terminals 16 are connected between the cathode of tube 9 and ground.

In the circuit of Fig. 2, the plate current of tube 9 is more nearly independent of the plate to cathode potential. However, with the screen by-pass capacitance I5 returned to ground, the capacitance II that exists between the screen and control grids of tube 9 has been effectively shunted across input terminals 8, thereby increasing the shunting capacitance across the load of the preceding stage. This reduces the overall gain or the bandwidth, depending upon the discretion of the designer. The shunting of input terminals 8 by capacitance I1 makes the circuit of Fig. 2 of little interest relative to broadband applications. In other words, capacitance i! has reduced the effectivenes of the cathode follower to redistribute the interstage capacitances of a multistage amplifier to an advantage.

Fig. 3 represents essentially the same prior art circuit that was shown in Fig. 2, with the exception that a by-pass capacitance I8 is returned from the screen grid of tube 9 to the cathode rather than to ground. Circuit elements in Fig. 2 similar to those previously described in Fig. 2 are given like reference numerals.

Returning by-pass capacitance I8 to the oathode essentially removes the screen-control grid capacitance I! from consideration, since the screen and control grids are at approximately the same potential for all frequencies where the product of the transconductance of tube 9 and the impedance of cathode resistor II is large in comparison with unity. When this condition is met the cathode follows the potential variations of the control grid. In other words, the cathode and the control grid maintain substantially equal potentials with respect to alternating-current. In Fig. 3 a new capacitance, the plate-screen grid capacitance IQ of tube 9, has been introduced across the input circuit 8 and is materially less than screen-control grid capacitance [1. However, a new capacitance 20 has been added across the output circuit It. This capacitance 20 is the parasitic capacitance of screen by-pass condenser [8. Since for many applications, such as in video and base-band amplifiersgood low frequency response is a requisite, condenser I8 is large physically as well as electrically.

The effectiveness of capacitance I8 is also a function of the size of resistance i4. Hence, a larger value for resistance It enables the designer to use a smaller screen by-pass condenser 18. The magnitude of screen resistor l4, however, is limited by the voltage drop across it, which in power amplifier use, must be kept relatively small. Therefore, satisfactory low frequency response requires a large screen by-pas s condenser I8, thus making stray capacitance 20 large and a serious consideration.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 4. There one of the input terminals 2! is coupled directly to the control grid of a triode tube 22. The other input terminal 21 is connected througha grid biasing battery 23 to ground. The cathode of tube 22 is grounded and its plate is connected through a resistance 2:3 to the positive side of a direct-current plate power supply 25. The negative side of plate supply 25 is grounded.

The plate of tube 22 is coupled directly to the screen grid of a pentode tube 25. A capacitance 2? and a resistance 28 are connected in parallel between the screen and control grids of tube 26, and a resistance 29 is connected between the control grid of tube 26 and the negative side of a direct-current power supply 30. The positive side of power supply 30 is grounded. The suppressor grid of tube 26 is coupled directly to the cathode, which is returned to ground through a resistance 3! and a negative direct-current source 32. The plate of tube 26 is returned to ground through a plate power supply 33. The output terminals 34 are connected between the cathode of tube 26 and ground. For many purposes a tetrode tube may be used in place of pentode'tube 25, in which case, of course, no suppressor grid is involved.

The circuit of Fig. 4 incorporates many of the best features of the prior art circuits of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, while minimizing their disadvantages. The control grid of pentode tube 26 is coupled for alternating-current to the screen grid through capacitance 21. Since tube 26 is operated as a cathode follower, its cathode and control grid maintain substantially equal alternating-current potentials. Capacitance 21, therefore, in effect by-passes the screen grid to the cathode and all three electrodes, screen grid, control grid, and cathode, are maintained at substantially equal potentials with respect to alternating-current. The direct-current potential of the screen grid of tube 26 is made positive with respect to the cathode by the voltage dividing action of resistances 28 and 29, plate supply source 25 of tube 22 funishing the required direct current. Negative supply 3|] also aids in this respect. It should be noted that for many applications, generalized impedances may be used in place of resistors 28 and 29. However, since resistances are more generally employed the term resistance is use he ereseh des ript on .fo the sake o simpli it t m also h noted th t or applis tiohs eire hs ur h se er supp i not absolutel heses ary sihee asle uate Potent vqi ehe Wh e the rea tant of cond ns r Z is equ l t the es stshee o resis or 2i n ther W rds, l w iresueh y e pon e is ee hei h see th pr sihtt o capa it ce Z and e ista s 8- In h s 3 it wi l h esalleel ereeh re ist r is w limit d. n ize by e amount o olt ge d asse sing stress it- In o de t achieve a given ow re u hey res onse then screen y ass con ense t has t b rela l lar e. m k n st ay ca a y t rou d mpo ta factor- Fie 1, on the o h hand t is hl e e rreh as di f eish e ed hem t e $9 l component si the hi l sere h c ent flows th ou h res stors 28 an i @5- The -ei'e heir esistanees ma be maele q ite h h h on miting factor generally being the recommendations o the mah i set'tire of tube 5 a to m x m id resi an Si e esistan 2 y e a qui e large i fello s that e ne ehs 2? ay he made correspondingly smaller in order to achieve the sanqe low frequency response as was attained with the oi suit of h s :3- Sihee c ndense 27 be mad r lat ve y small h h hy ic l y and electr call th tray capacit nce it in 3 ha no euhterhart i is- *1.-

n his i the .ehwohtrel g id capacitance o tube 25 is o rela i ely littl importance sihe ea-peei a eetl h ds th se e ements a th alte atihaeu reht po en ial.- -h h other r peet eah tahee 2 erve e s n i as he inters te cou l ng a sei ehoe- (It sh nally e no ed that hee sur eht tra sm sie wi l he r dheeel som what by th oss u to he ividin aet oh o -esistahee 2.8 a d .F Pur os s of l stration a p cal et of value fo th c cui ho n in his,- h a ffe tive o ahis fre ue ts rs seo h m eyel-es to 3- megsoyel i as fo low T3 ol p wer p l (1122 3 e .e h he with 80) 0 v p w pply (may be o in d with 2 ie 5 illustrates th ih-tersta e eirshit o Fi u ed to su ly th emen entrol rid of a onventi na o e ated hentode va uum thh t stil wi l enab e som ad anta es to he seemed, S mila reie eh ume a s a u d i Fi .5 to el et o -s it elements coresponding i t th se n Fig- On y connect ons di e i g from he in e s will he esei' hee ie 5 the firs ub i a eohvehtiohal triid-St acuum tube amnifiep sh wn t h o e ates a a eathesie ollowe A esists-ho 3-. and a it 6 at v dir c -curre t power su p y 35 hhe t e h's es hetwseh the ththhdt? hi tithe and oundhlat po er upp y 2.5 is eeh ested d c y betwe n the pi te of t th and grou die- 5 he output of t be 2 is d elo ed s hss eet sie res stor 35,, th ca de he he eehh ed siree l t the stre r d o heh sse hit 6- A e ista ce 31 is se tles n ri it thehlhte of tube 2 5 and plate power supply 33. I

A a nv n i na h hteae am lifier re istance 3 ow r su p :3 u d he o it ed eh if d re t urreht o erat ng tab y s a i h l hm parameter, te istahee 3 o ld he m arge an itasses oi all-ope ating e uen e hr s pacitance 38. If the degenerate operation c r 1a non-by-passed cathode resistance is desired, ca.- a iteh e 8 be mitted. oper ion is, in ne al simi ar o th t dese beel h ohheetihh his Eh difie h e is t t n. Fi 5 ub 2% is n t o er e as a cath d o lower and. the cathode is, therefore, not maintained at t 'alte at he-e rr h p tent al of t e se s and sehtt l ids 1 1 r i Fie- 6 h ws a th e a e re hhash amplifier hi em lo e pr s n in t on sevena e h y- Re r ng e oiilarl to is 5, here, ne o a a of in ut rm nal 39 s eehhe t s to the ntrol r d o a acuum tu e 49 h eh h be, or m e a he od The o her tenmihal 3 is eoh e es throu h a si e biasin battery to ground. The suppressor grid or tube at o s t t a hode and the ss e grid is fed in the conventional manner by a drop: pin e r 4 n erieszwith a s est-eurre power upp h et r betwee the semen i n u d. h-by hss ohs hser t4 shunts the series eomh h oh of r ist r 42 ehq'hswet ppl 43- A esistah e 45 i e te etweeh the plate of tube 40 and the posit iye side on a plate power supply 46, the negative side of which is grounded.

Th ou f t 49 is e t h s s hd sta e o t e amplifier i h i ll ih manner- The plate of tube All is connected through a coupling condenser 4-! to the control grid of a second eeht e tube 8- Cohdehse 4 s hh tesl b a te ti tahee 49 and a esi ance 59 is onnec d between the control grid of tube 4,8 and the negative side of direct-current power supply 5|, flhe po v sid o po r sh pl 5 i r unded- The suppressor grid of tube 48 is coupled directly to he' a h and e een ri is as wa the screen of tube 40, fed in the conventional nlan- A dro n r s to 52 a d a pos tive ieet-ehr h Powe supply are .eohheoted in e ies between t e sc e o tiihe 4 n g u d.- A byha eahso anee 4 h t t ries .eo h h itier-1 A resistance 55 and a plate supply source hi5 are connected in series between the plate of ube 48 an ,sr hh A r sist e 5? is tuate b twee th h de o tube 8 and round and is shunted by a vcapacitance 58.

The output of tube 4 8 is transmitted to an out.- hht ub 26 h g an ih se net ork similar to that described with reference to Figs. A and. 5. Briefly, the plate of tube 48 is coupled directly to the screen grid of tube 26. A con.- denser Z1 and a resistor 28 are in parallel be.- -We he s reen a ontro grids, n a si o -9 nd a e ti e d re t-c p w s p y 39 are in series ween th eh rol g id o t th as ans roiihsih su pres o id oi u e 26 i coupled t etho an a s t s a a ne at ve .et ree eh eht pply 3 a eoh ne ted in be ween he esth se ehd sro hd- 'A resistance 31 is connected between the plate of tube 26 and the positive side of a direct-current plate supply 33, the negative side of which is grounded. A negative feedback path comprising a resistance 59 shunted by a capacitance 60 is provided between the cathode of tube 26 and the cathode of tube Ml. One pair of output terminals BI is located between the cathode of tube 26 and ground, while a second pair 62 is situated between the plate of tube 26 and ground.

The network feeding the screen and control grids operates in much the same manner as does that described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5. The control grid potential of tube 26 is dropped via the resistance divider 28 and 29 so that the screen grid assumes the proper potential above the cathode. The plate supply 56 of tube 48 furnishes the necessary direct current. Capacitance 2! provides alternating-current coupling from the plate of tube 48 to the control grid of tube 26.

Either output circuit 6| or output circuit 62 may be used, but the advantages of cathode follower operation will be secured only if circuit BI is employed. It should be noted that the feedback circuit linearizes the space current of tube 26, making the output voltage from terminals 6! a linear function of the input. The voltage across output terminals 62, however, is determined by the plate current. Therefore, linearity between input and output is preserved only to the extent that the screen current is a constant fraction of the plate current.

Although the invention has been described largely with reference to certain specific embodiments, various other embodiments and modifications, within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, will occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A wide band amplifier which comprises an amplifying device having at least an anode, a cathode, a control grid, and a screen grid, a s1gnal input path for said device connected between one of said grids and said cathode, said signal input path including in serial relation a source of input signals and a signal utilization circuit with said signal utilization circuit adjacent said cathode, a space current path for said device connected between said anode and said cathode, said space current path including in serial relation a source of space current and said signal utilization circuit with said signal utilization circuit adjacent said cathode, said signal utilization circuit being common to both said signal input path and said space current path, whereby said device operates as a cathode follower, impedance means opaque to direct current connected between said control and screen grids to maintain them at substantially the same potential with respect to signal frequency current, and means to bias said control and screen grids to difierent potentials relative to said cathode, said lastmentioned means including a source of direct potential connected between said screen grid and the side of said signal utilization circuit away from said cathode, a first resistance direct-current path connected between said control grid and said screen grid, and a second resistive direct-current path connected between said control grid and said side of said signal utilization circuit away from said cathode.

2. A wide band amplifier which comprises an amplifying device having at least an anode, a cathode, a control grid, and a screen grid, a, signal input path for said device connected between said screen grid and said cathode, said signal input path including in serial relation a source of input signals and a signal utilization circuit with said signal utilization circuit adjacent said cathode, a space current path for said device connected between said anode and said cathode, said space current ath including in serial relation a source of space current and said signal utilization circuit with said signal utilization circuit adjacent said cathode, said signal utilization circuit being common to both said signal input path and said space current path, whereby said device operates as a cathode follower, impedance means opaque to direct current connected between said control and screen grids to maintain them at substantially the same potential with respect to signal frequency current, and means to bias said control and screen grids to different direct potentials relative to said cathode, said last-mentioned means including a source of direct potential connected between said screen grid and the side of said signal utilization circuit away from said cathode, a, first resistive direct-current path connected between said control grid and said screen grid, and a second resistive directcurrent path connected between said control grid and said side of said signal utilization circuit away from said cathode.

3. A wide band amplifier which comprises an amplifying device having at least an anode, a cathode, a control grid, and a screen grid, a signal input path for said device connected between said screen grid and said cathode, said signal input path including in serial relation a source of input signals and a load having first and second terminals with said load adjacent said cathode, said first terminal of said load being connected to said cathode, a space current path for said device connected between said anode and said cathode, said space current path including in serial relation a source of space current and said load with said load adjacent said cathode, said load being common to both said signal input path and said space current path, whereby said device operates as a cathode follower, a capacitor connected between said screen and control grids to maintain them at substantially the same potential with respect to Signal frequency current, and means to bias said control and screen grids to different direct potentials relative to said cathode, said last-mentioned means including a source of direct potential connected between said screen grid and said second terminal of said load, a first resistive direct-current path connected between said control grid and said screen grid, and a second resistive direct-current path connected between said control grid and said second terminal of said load.

4. A wide band amplifier which comprises an amplifying device having at least an anode, a cathode, a control grid, and a screen grid, a signal input path for said device connected between said screen grid and said cathode, said signal input path including in serial relation a source of input signals, a source of direct potential, and a load having first and second terminals, said load being adjacent said cathode and said first terminal of said load being connected to said cathode, a space current path for said device connected between said anode and said cathode, said space current path including in serial relation a source of space current and said load with said load adjacent said cathode, said load being common to both said signal input path and said space current path, whereby said device operates as a cathode follower, a capacitor connected between said screen and control grids to maintain them at substantially the same potential with respect to signal frequency current, and means to bias said control and said screen grids to different direct potentials relative to said cathode from the said source of direct potential, said last-mentioned means including a first resistive direct-current path connected between said control and screen grids and a second resistive direct-current path connected between said control grid and said second terminal of said load.

5. A wide band amplifier which comprises a first amplifying device having at least an anode, a cathode and a control grid, a second amplifying device having at least an anode, a cathode, a control grid, and a screen grid, 3, source of input signals connected between the control grid and the cathode of said first device, a load resistance and a source of space current connected in serial relation between the anode and the cathode of said first device, a signal utilization circuit having first and second terminals, said first terminal of said signal utilization circuit being connected to the cathode of said second device, connections from the anode of said first device to the screen grid of said second device and from the cathode of said first device to said second terminal of said signal utilization circuit, a space current path for said second device connected between the anode and the cathode of said second device, said space current path including in serial relation a source of space current and said signal l0 utilization circuit with said signal utilization circuit adjacent said cathode, impedance means opaque to direct current connected between the control and screen grids of said second device to maintain them at substantially the same poten tial with respect to signal frequency current, and means to bias the control and screen grids of said second device to different direct potentials relative to the cathode of said second device, said last-mentioned means including a, first resistive direct-current path connected between the control and screen grids of said second device and a second resistive direct-current path connected between the control grid 01" said second device and said second terminal of said signal utilization circuit.

CHARLES W. HARRISON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,990,781 Fitch Feb. 12, 1935 2,052,986 Nyman Sept. 1, 1936 2,069,809 Armstrong Feb. 9, 1937 2,181,910 Peterson Dec. 5, 1939 2,319,139 Koch May 11, 1943 2,324,279 Clark July 13, 1943 2,330,109 Brown Sept. 21, 1943 2,335,050 Fyler Nov. 23, 1943 2,400,919 Crawley May 28, 1946 2,445,157 Smith July 13, 1948 2,494,317 Seybold Jan. 10, 1950 

